Lavish your senses with the history, art and culture of Russia in this exclusive journey fit for a Tsar.

Immerse yourself in the land of artists and dissidents, vodka and caviar with this exclusive journey that offers a unique 1st class look into the history, art and culture of mysterious Russia. Enjoy touring Russia’s many cultural wonders at your own pace with the services of an expert guide, private vehicle and driver. In the evenings, relax in 5-star luxury accommodations fit for a tsar – or presidents, royalty and celebrities who have stayed there as well.

Explore the Kremlin and Red Square, Lenin's tomb, Church of the Intercessor, the Armory, Diamond Fund and more. Continue your tour in Moscow and visit the Novodevichy Convent, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In St. Petersburg, drive with your guide along the world famous "Nevsky Prospect" lined with marble palaces of Russian royalty and aristocracy. Explore the Hermitage Museum which boasts works by Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo, Renoir, Picasso and others, and tour Trinity Cathedral and cemetery where Dostoevsky, Tchaikovsky and other world celebrities are buried. Visit the world-famous Peterhof Palace and tour its stunning fountains and parks, landmarks of Russian artistic culture of the 18th-19th centuries. This exclusive journey through the grandness of Russia is simply fit for a tsar. ... Show More »

Enjoy a personalized vacation that best suits your needs, developed by one of our experienced destination experts. Relax during your trip with our 24/7 support and expert local guidance.
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Day 1:Moscow

Meet your private driver and transportation for an airport transfer. An assistant is provided for your comfort.

We will provide you with a letter of Invitation for your Russian Visa. Once payment has been received, the letter along with other important documents will be sent to you.

A welcome package with a city map, train tickets (if relevant), and any other touristic information that we deem you may find useful will be waiting for you upon your arrival at your first hotel on your trip.

Meet your private guide and driver for a half-day tour. The Russian capital will present itself in wonderful illumination on the your private Moscow by Night city lights tour this evening. An impressive contrast from Moscow during the day, the city awakens in an entirely different way once the sun sets. Afterward, you can stroll across the famous Red Square with your guide and experience Stalin’s “palaces for the people”, Moscow’s Metro stations in all their splendor and beauty.

Accommodation: Ritz-Carlton (5*)

The Ritz-Carlton is located at the edge of the famed Red Square, the site of countless coronations and celebrations. The storey hotel boasts polished, dark cherry and burl wood décor and bathrooms finished with marble from Portugal and the Altai mountains. The property features a spa by ESPA with an indoor pool, hot pool, sauna and steam rooms, and has all of the amenities one would expect of a leading, first class hotel. Savour the selection of the many fine dining options available on-site and prepare your senses for a culinary experience like no other. One of Moscow’s hot spots, the O2 Lounge is the ideal venue for cocktails and the finest sushi with breathtaking views over the Red Square and the Kremlin. The Ritz-Carlton Bar and Lobby Lounge offers a relaxed and sophisticated ambiance to enjoy pre or post dinner drinks while the Café Russe offers an authentic Russian dining experience with world-famous dishes and boasts over 350 vintages of wine.

Moscow

Ritz-Carlton

Day 2:Moscow

Tour the Kremlin, the city´s former military fortification, a palace, an armory, the sovereign treasury and the workplace of the Russian President. The Kremlin is the centre of Russia´s political life and State power. The Armory Palace features weaponry, imperial regalia, and unique art. Visit the impressive Diamond Fund where the exhibits include the great imperial crown of gold, silver, diamonds, and pearls made for the coronation of Empress Catherine XI. If your accommodation is outside the city, you will meet your guide in front of the Kremlin entrance. Entrance fees to the Diamond Fund are included.

The Moscow Metro is one of the largest and most grandly built metro systems in the world. It was meant to be a showcase of the Soviet Union´s achievements both for the Russians and foreign visitors. The stations are all uniquely designed with decorative elements including mosaics, statues, marble floors, walls, and staircases. Each station has a unique decorative motive utilizing semi-precious stones and sculptures. The tour will proceed to bohemian Old Arbat street where you will learn about the street´s interesting history and enjoy its artisan culture, and the many craftsman and souvenir stalls. Entrance fees to the Metro Station are included. If your hotel is outised the city centre, you will meet your guide at the entrance to the metro.

Accommodation: Ritz-Carlton (5*)

Kremlin

Metro Station

Day 3:Moscow - St. Petersburg

Novodevichy Convent is one of the most beautiful Moscow convents, founded at the beginning of 16th century. The complex consists of 15 buildings, surmounted by golden domes. For 400 years the Novodevichy Convent was part of important historical events, connected with the names of Ivan the Terrible, Boris Godunov, Sofia and Peter I. The architectural ensemble of the convent was formed by the end of 17th century and till now remains one of the best in Russia. For several years, it was even used as a place of imprisonment for disgraced women from noble families. Visit the compound's cemetery, a charming sight, rich in the spirit of the past, hidden behind a wall in the twentieth century inner city. Explore how the sculptured gravestones of famous Russian artists, writers, and politicians illustrate the country’s history. Entrance fee is included in the tour price.

Meet your private driver and transportation for a train station transfer. An assistant is provided for your comfort.

Watch the changing landscapes on your fast speed train ride from Moscow to St. Petersburg, departing in the afternoon.

Meet your private driver and transportation for a train station transfer. An assistant is included for your comfort.

Accommodation: Belmond Grand Hotel Europe (5*)

The Belmond Grand Hotel Europe is a historical, cultural and culinary landmark that has played an important role in St. Petersburg's history for over 130 years. A truly iconic hotel, it stands on Nevsky Prospekt among the city’s great architectural treasures—renowned for its impressive façade and decorative interiors. Positioned adjacent to Arts Square, the hotel has strong associations with the worlds of theatre, music and dance. A stay here takes you straight to the heart of Russia, especially during the White Days of winter, when snow lies outside and a warm welcome waits within.

St. Petersburg

Belmond Grand Hotel Europe

Day 4:St. Petersburg

With a private guide and driver, set out on a panoramic tour to get acquainted with the main architectural and historical monuments of St. Petersburg.You will get to drive along the world famous Nevsky Prospect and view the Monastery of Alexander Nevsky with its magnificent Trinity Cathedral and its cemetery where Dostoevsky, Tchaikovsky, and other world celebrities were buried. You will have a chance to visit Peter and Paul's Fortress and St. Isaac Cathedral with the Bronze Horseman. Later you will drive by the Summer Garden and stop in the Field of Mars with the eternal flame. Continuing on you will drive through the Square of Arts, enjoy an overwhelming beauty of the third largest square in the world, the Palace Square with the Alexander Column, the Triumphal Arch of the general Staff building, and the Winter Palace complex. Entrance fees to Peter and Paul's Fortress is included.

Accommodation: Belmond Grand Hotel Europe (5*)

Peter & Paul's Fortress

Day 5:St. Petersburg

Take a full day tour to Pushkin, originally named Tsarskoe Selo (Tsar's Village), famous for the marvelous Catherine Palace and park. The town, also known as Pushkin, in honour of the great Russian poet Alexander Pushkin, was the main summer residence of the royal family. The collection of the palace includes a large number of precious works of art, such as furniture, porcelain, statues, and canvases, including personal belongings of Russian emperors and members of their families. Visit one of the most remarkable interiors of Catherine Palace, the Amber Room. Your private guide will tell the story of the consturuction of Catherine Palace and about the tragic moments in the palace's history, connected with the Nazi occupation during World War II. Continue with the summer residences of the Royal family, Peterhof. The world-famous palace, fountain, and park are an outstanding landmark of Russian artistic culture of the 18th-19th centuries. After the tour you will return to your hotel. Entrance fees to Peterhof Palace are included.

Choose between one of the various evening entertainment options St. Petersburg has to offer: performances at the Marinsky theater, folklore show in Nikolaevskey palace, a show at the famous Circus, or a river cruise, combined with a folklore show. Please speak to your Sales Advisor if you are interested in adding a show to your itinerary during your time in St. Petersburg.

Accommodation: Belmond Grand Hotel Europe (5*)

Catherine Palace

Marinsky Theater

Day 6:St. Petersburg

Enjoy a private guided tour of the Hermitage and admire the gems of the collection. During the tour you will see the State Rooms of the Winter Palace, a part of the collection of paintings of Old Masters and other exciting exhibits and works of art. Value the splendour of the Gala stairway, Peter's Memorial Hall, the Armorial Hall, the Gallery of 1812 with its numerous portraits, the Pavilion Hall and its various amusements, and other gala rooms. You are sure to enjoy the works of applied arts, precious items and paintings. The collection of Western European art, numbering over 600,000 items, is considered to be one of the finest in the world. It presents all the stages of the development of art from the Middle Ages to the present. Enjoy masterpieces by outstanding Western European artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Giorgione, Titian, Michelangelo, Francisco de Goya, Renoir, and Picasso. You will have an opportunity to see such world-famous masterpieces as works by Degas, Renoir, Pissarro, Van Gogh, and Gauguin. Admire the richest collection of ancient and early medieval items, works of art from Ancient Greece and Rome, fabulous treasures of oriental culture, and wonderful European art. Entrance fees to the Hermitage Museum and transport is included.

Accommodation: Belmond Grand Hotel Europe (5*)

Hermitage Museum

Day 7:St. Petersburg

Refined luxury, splendour of high life, dramatic relationships and the history of rich aristocratic family are reflected in the expositions of Yusupov Palace, one of the most mysterious places in St. Petersburg. Yusupov Palace once belonging to princes Yusupovs noble family is one of the most beautiful palaces in St. Petersburg. The palace retains its genuine interiors of the 19th century. The influence of the art of various cultures can be traced in the Turkish study, Oaken dining-room, Musical chambers and the chamber of Henry II. The real gem of the palace is the exotic Moresque chamber. The luxurious decorations of the interiors are dazzling: murals, carvings, marble, mirrors, gilded chandelier, silk clothes and refined furniture. The cellar of the palace became the setting of the murder of one of the most scandalous figures in Russian history -Grigory Rasputin. The legendary favourite of the wife of Emperor Nicolas II, Rasputin convinced the royal family that he possessed supernatural powers and that only he could cure the heir to the throne Alexis, who suffered from haemophilia. Rasputin had strong influence on the decisions of the tsar and tsarina. Nowadays the cellar houses an exhibition about the life of Grigory Rasputin. Return to hotel.

Discover the world’s largest Faberge collection in peace and tranquility during a private 1-hour tour of the Faberge Museum. Browse a glittering collection of more than 4,000 objects d’art created by Carl Faberge. Learn about Carl Faberge, his company and his most famous pieces of jewellery. Admire the imperial Faberge eggs created for Tsar Alexander III and his son and feel the atmosphere of the luxurious life of the high society of Russia just before the Revolution.

Accommodation: Belmond Grand Hotel Europe (5*)

Yusupov Palace

Faberge Museum

Day 8:St. Petersburg

Meet your private driver and transportation for an airport transfer. An assistant is provided for your comfort.

Accommodation:

We can customize this private tour just for you. Any element can be tailored – activities, length, hotels and destinations. Call us at 1 888 903-2001 or request a quote.

Trip Terms & Conditions

Your deposit is due immediately on booking (30% of program price, minimum $350). The balance is due 90 days prior to departure.

Cancellations of confirmed bookings 90 days or more prior to departure will receive full refund minus a $350 (per person) administrative fee and any non-refundable paid fees (e.g. non-refundable airfare, cruise or hotel deposits). 60-89 days will be subject to loss of 30% of program price. 30-59 days will be subject to loss of 50% of program price. 29 days or less will be subject to loss of 100% of program price.

Tour quotes do not include airfare to/from the trip start point unless noted on the itinerary

Cost increases in currency exchange, government fees, taxes, surcharges or hotel/lodge tariff increases between quote date and start date are payable by the client.

Availability cannot be guaranteed until booked. We will exercise best efforts to book hotels per the itinerary, however, in busy seasons and with client bookings made within 90 days of tour date we may be forced to offer substitutes.

Payment of the program price constitutes your acceptance of the terms and conditions set out at www.kensingtontours.com/terms-and-conditions

Living Standards and practices at destination may differ from those in North America with respect to provisions of utilities, services and accommodation.

Ritz-Carlton (5*): Moscow

The Ritz-Carlton is located at the edge of the famed Red Square, the site of countless coronations and celebrations. The storey hotel boasts polished, dark cherry and burl wood décor and bathrooms finished with marble from Portugal and the Altai mountains. The property features a spa by ESPA with an indoor pool, hot pool, sauna and steam rooms, and has all of the amenities one would expect of a leading, first class hotel. Savour the selection of the many fine dining options available on-site and prepare your senses for a culinary experience like no other. One of Moscow’s hot spots, the O2 Lounge is the ideal venue for cocktails and the finest sushi with breathtaking views over the Red Square and the Kremlin. The Ritz-Carlton Bar and Lobby Lounge offers a relaxed and sophisticated ambiance to enjoy pre or post dinner drinks while the Café Russe offers an authentic Russian dining experience with world-famous dishes and boasts over 350 vintages of wine.

Ritz-Carlton

Ritz-Carlton Lobby

Belmond Grand Hotel Europe (5*): St. Petersburg

The Belmond Grand Hotel Europe is a historical, cultural and culinary landmark that has played an important role in St. Petersburg's history for over 130 years. A truly iconic hotel, it stands on Nevsky Prospekt among the city’s great architectural treasures—renowned for its impressive façade and decorative interiors. Positioned adjacent to Arts Square, the hotel has strong associations with the worlds of theatre, music and dance. A stay here takes you straight to the heart of Russia, especially during the White Days of winter, when snow lies outside and a warm welcome waits within.

Private tours were the best. Enjoyed being able to stop and see sights big groups wouldn't be able to do.

Tilda B. — August 10, 2016 — Europe

Our agent Enrique was phenomenal. He booked every aspect of our trip, from transportation, tour and hotel. All we had to do was show up. Best vacation!!

Gary C. — August 10, 2016 — Europe

My excellent experience with Kensington Tours started with Michelle Callaghan, a consultant for Ireland and UK, followed by a very friendly and knowledgeable person in KT Air, ending with our guide Paul Wilson who my whole family loved. I am lucky enough to have traveled internationally for both business and pleasure for decades, therefore I have to compare. The entire experience with Kensington, from start to finish, was a 10.

Elizabeth M. — August 10, 2016 — Europe

I love being able to call Kensington and tell their agents where I want to go and what I'd like to see when at my destination. All I do is pack my suitcase and from the moment my plane lands, I am taken care of and looked after. It turns a "trip" into a "vacation" as well. It's hassle free, first rate.

Margarette H. — August 10, 2016 — Europe

We enjoyed the trip immensely! All our tour guides did a good job. I'd like to especially call out Alexandra from Lisbon and Javier from Toledo as outstanding. Our primary drivers Jose in Lisbon and Muhammad in Morocco were also outstanding! Special appreciation for our Riad accommodations in Marrakech which was magical!

Noor K. — August 10, 2016 — Europe

Very well organized tour . I will recommend it to every one who wants to travel. Excellent tour.

Rebecca K. — August 10, 2016 — Europe

Jaclyn was the best!!! I have already referred her to a friend! She was quick responding and really listened to what we like! Definitely will use her again!

Razieh M. — August 10, 2016 — Europe

Absolutely outstanding service. We loved it. Very professional staff and timely with schedules. It saved us a lot of time and we got to see a lot more than we would have done had we done this all by ourselves.

Ann P. — August 10, 2016 — Europe

Great vacation. People in Iceland are wonderful, cordial, friendly.

Santanu D. — August 10, 2016 — Europe

Your tours are not inexpensive but worth every penny of the extra cost. You do your homework and the guides are superb. Your service during the trip is personal and responsive. I have seen this in three continents.